1296 - Analytical Reasoning

Correct Answer: A

Explanation:

• Let us arrange the letters in two separate categories. The first category will be for age—older and younger. The second category will be for height—taller and shorter. We represent older with the mathematical “greater than” sign > . We represent taller with a double mathematical “greater than” sign > >. From the first statement (L is older than M and taller than N), we get this representation:
• L > M and L > > N
• The second statement (O is younger than P, older than N and shorter than Q) translates mathematically as
• P > O > N and Q > > O
• The third statement (R is older than S, younger than N, shorter than S, and taller than Q) gives us
• N > R > S and S > > R > > Q
• The fourth statement (S is older than L and shorter than N) gives us
• S > L and N > > S
• Thus consolidating, we have
• L > M ---------------------------- L > > N
• P > O > N------------------------- Q > > O
• N > R > S ------------------------ S > > R > > Q
• S > L ---------------------------- N > > S
• Again with the mathematical inequality sign we can further consolidate the above in two separate inequality statements:
• P > O > N > R > S > L > M
• and
• L > > N > > S > > R > > Q > > O
• Now we can proceed to answer questions 5-8 with reference to the mathematical representation above.

L > > N > > S > > R > > Q > > O
Therefore, L must be the tallest because it is the greatest of all the given letters. So Choice A is correct.